The Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund was established in 1974, on amalgamation of the Society for Analytical Chemistry (SAC) with the then Chemical Society (CS), which later became the Royal Society of Chemistry. The proceeds of the sale of SAC journals were used to establish a fund and ACTF was set up as a Registered Charity No 268893.
The object of the Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund is to promote, assist and extend the science and study of Analytical Chemistry and of all questions relating to the analysis, nature and composition of natural and manufactured materials for the benefit of the public, within the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Most current trustees are existing or previous elected members of the RSC Analytical Science Community Council. All trustees have an established career and involvement with the analytical chemistry community. Trustees meet at least 3 times per year to review financial budgets, assess funding applications and discuss further developments to further meet its objectives.
To learn more about what we fund, what we have funded, please visit out Funding Opportunities page.
Governance
Trustees
Dr Zoë Ayres (Chair)
Zoë has had a varied background in analytical science from studying forensics, collaborating with a large pharmaceutical company, and doing a PhD in chemical sensor technologies. Zoë spent nearly a decade in industry, as a Senior Scientist, and Head of Research and Development, before returning to academia, and is now Head of Laboratory Facilities at the Open University, helping manage over 190 labs.
Professor Karen Faulds
Karen Faulds is a Professor in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde and an expert in the development of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and Raman techniques for novel analytical detection strategies and in particular multiplexed bioanalytical applications. he has been awarded over £20M in research funding.
Professor Roy Goodacre
Roy Goodacre is Professor of Biological Chemistry at the University of Liverpool, co-director of the Centre for Metabolomics Research, and President of the Metabolomics Society. Our research team develops and applies MS-based metabolomics to biological systems, and high spatial resolution photothermal infrared and Raman-based methods to image bacteria at the single cell level.
Dr Lee Dingwall
I am the Global Analytical Quality Manager at Johnson Matthey, overseeing laboratory testing and leading quality initiatives across the autocatalyst business. I hold a Chemistry MSc from Durham and a PhD from York, alongside an MBA from Cranfield. A fellow of the RSC and CMI, I’m a chartered manager, scientist, and chemist. With over 10 years in analytical community leadership, I also enjoy ultra marathon training and spending time with my wife and three children.
Dr Drupad Trivedi
Dr Drupad Trivedi is a CAMS Lecturer in Analytical and Measurement Sciences, at the University of Manchester. Dr Trivedi is a Chair in Data Analytics within the Community of Analytical and Measurement Sciences, UK and was awarded his CAMS lectureship in 2020 to develop a program of work using data driven metabolomics to understand sebum in health and disease. His group’s focus is application of chemometrics for clinical metabolomics and wearables for disease diagnostics using sebum.
Dr Ruth Hearn (Administrator)
Ruth has been the Administrator for ACTF since 2018 and is the key contact for all applicants of ACTF grants. She is an Analytical Chemist and currently runs her own company providing training, consultancy and technical auditing to a range of customers including working as a technical assessor for the UK Accreditation Service, assessing ISO Standard compliance.
Professor Melanie Bailey
Melanie is a Professorial Research Fellow in Analytical and Forensic Science at the university of Surrey. She is Director of the BBSRC SEISMIC facility for spatially resolved single and sub-cellular “omics” and a grant holder of the UK National Ion Beam Centre. Her group are exploring new approaches for the analysis of cells, biological fluids and tissues.
Professor Bhavik Patel
Bhavik Anil Patel is a Professor in the Department of Applied Science at the University of Brighton. His research group are focused on the development of electrochemical sensors for bioanalytical applications and creation of novel chemical educational activities to enhance employability skills.
Janice Haines
Janice worked in analytical chemistry, in various industries (metals, geochemical,
environmental and pharmaceutical) in UK and abroad and has been a member of the RSC for more than 40 years. Now semi-retired, she is a contracted technical assessor for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and conducts training for them on the technical quality aspects of ISO/IEC 17025.
Dr Alistair Fielding
Alistair Fielding is Programme Leader for the MSc in Drug Discovery, Development, and Delivery and Senior Lecturer in Analytical Chemistry at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). His research uses electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to investigate radical processes in carbon materials, organic transformations, enzymes, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. He earned his Ph.D. at UCL (1998–2002) and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Denver, CEA Saclay, and Max Planck Institute Göttingen, specialising in advanced EPR techniques. From 2012–2017, he worked at the EPSRC National Service for EPR Spectroscopy, University of Manchester. At LJMU, he established a regional EPR spectroscopy hub serving academic and industrial partners.
Dr Jacquin Wilford-Brown (Treasurer)
Jacquin has held a variety of roles in research and management in the chemical industry, including working for AkzoNobel, moving slowly from new product development to analysis and measurement. She likes working at interfaces – whether in materials and coatings, or between disciplines, teams and people. Her favourite quote is “without analysis, there is no synthesis”.
Dr Graeme Turnbull
Graeme is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Northumbria University where his teaching covers analytical and organic chemistry, and his research focuses on microbial diagnostics and industrial biocatalysis. He is enthusiastic about the development and delivery of quality outreach activities, and led the recent redevelopment of the Schools’ Analyst Competition.
Dr Vicky Hilborne
Vicky is a Lecturer (Teaching) at University College London. She has particular interest in education for sustainability and developing skills of research and data evaluation valued by employers. Her research includes design and evaluation of portable detectors of contaminants in indoor air and in aqueous environments, dispersion modelling in natural environments and industrial processes.
Paul O’Nion
Paul has worked for over 20 years as an analytical scientist. An experienced chromatographer, Paul has worked at RSSL for more than ten years, specialising in flavour and taints analysis using multi-dimensional chromatography and mass spectrometry. Paul is a qualified NVQ assessor, a member of the Industry Advisory Board for CAMS and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Dr Carol Crean
Dr Carol Crean received a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry with German and a PhD in Chemistry from Dublin City University. Following postdoctoral work at the National Centre for Sensor Research, she worked as a Research Fellow at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia. Supported by a Marie Curie Reintegration Grant, she returned to Ireland in 2008 as a Research Fellow at the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute at DCU. She joined the University of Surrey in 2011 and is now Professor of Chemistry. Carol’s research focuses on the development, functionalisation and characterisation of advanced electro-materials for sensors and energy storage applications, and Raman spectroscopy of materials. Her current work centres on wearable sensors.
Other organisations supporting analytical scientists
The Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund 